powers expressed in this commission must be of divine right theirs. They are, therefore, empowered to 'go, and teach all nations, baptizing them.' Thus also our Saviour himself commissioned his disciples, both the seventy and the twelve, to baptize, as well as to preach, for 'Jesus baptized not, but his disciples.' John, 4: 2. Now, as prelates will insist that these seventy were distinct from the twelve, in being presbyters, and not prelates, it follows, that even on prelatic principles, presbyters are competent to baptize. And this Hooker openly teaches, for he asserts that Christ himself consecrated seventy others of his own disciples, inferior presbyters, whose commission to preach and baptize was the same which the apostles had." Of course, if their commission was the same, their power also was the same. We read also, that St.. Paul, when converted, was baptized by Ananias, whom some represent as one of these seventy, and therefore a presbyter; and others, one of the prophets, who, as we have seen, are also admitted to have been of the order of presbyters, and thus it would appear, that since the validity of baptism is essential to a valid consecration to the ministry, and since the greater number of churches in western christendom may trace their first original, directly or indirectly, to the apostle Paul, that, therefore, the validity of the ministry, as now existing in all these churches, must ultimately depend on the validity of presbyterial baptism, for that Ananias was an apostle, or of the order of prelates, is admitted to be impossible. 2

It is also recorded that Philip—as Mr. Potter affirms even while a deacon-baptized the Samaritans, and the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts, 8: 12, 38. Now, if Philip was, at this time, no more than a deacon, and had not, as we believe, been ordained a presbyter since his consecration as a deacon, then it will follow, that if the power of administering baptism belongs to deacons, much more, certainly, must it be the rightful prerogative of presbyters. Thus, again, we are told in Acts, 18: 8, that many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized.' But, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul reminds them, that he baptized only Crispus, and the household of Stephanus, 1 Cor. 1: 14, and therefore, these 'many' must have been baptized by his attendant ministers, who were not apostles, but presbyters. In his epistle to the Ephesians, 4: 5, the apostle exhorts them to 'walk worthy of that vocation, wherewith they had been called, even as they were called in one Lord, one faith, one 2) Potter on Ch. Govt. p. 227.

1) Eccl. Polity, B. v. § 77.

baptism.' Now, as appears distinctly from Acts, 20: 28, the ministers, whom the apostle left at Ephesus, to feed the church of God, and take oversight thereof, were presbyters. Presbyters, therefore, received members into that church by the administration of baptism. It is also admitted, that, in some of the churches, as at Philippi, for some time, at least, after their organization, there were no other ministers ordained over them than presbyters, with the officers who were called deacons. But as it is plain no church could be organized, or collected together, without the administration of baptism, this ordinance must have been administered by presbyters.

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But it is unnecessary to enlarge in proof of the inherent right of presbyters to baptize, since, however in after ages some prelates have endeavored to usurp, as exclusively theirs, this and all other ministerial powers, archbishop Potter grants, 'that, in the primitive ages, presbyters baptized as well as bishops, but the practice of the church has varied as to deacons. And, since it is at once evident, that all who believed, together with their children, have a right to be baptized, they who are authorized to disciple men, are, also, of necessity, competent to baptize them. The right of administering baptism being, therefore, another essential part of ministerial authority; and presbyters being plainly invested with it; presbyters, in this respect, also, are the successors of the apostles.

§ 4. Presbyters are divinely authorized to administer the Lord's supper.

We proceed to the consideration of the fourth branch of sacerdotal authority, to the exclusive possession of which prelates lay claim, and that is the administration of the Lord's supper, or, as they fondly term it, the consecration of the eucharistic sacrifice.' Now, that this power was resident in the presbyters of the apostolic churches, we might demonstrate, by a repetition of the arguments employed on the subject of baptism. For, as baptism and the Lord's supper are the two divinely instituted sacraments of the christian church, the one the ordinance of initiation, the other of confirmation, and both, the signs and seals of the covenant of grace; it is at once manifest, that he who is the appointed minister of the one ordinance, must be also competent to administer the other. The sacraments, being seals, annexed by Christ to

1) On Ch. Govt. see p. 227. See King's Prim. Christianity.

the word of his grace, and visible words, are evidently to be dispensed by those to whom the dispensation of the word is committed. In the Corinthian church, when no minister above the order of prophets, who were next below the apostles, was there, the eucharist was administered, nor was this power so strictly appropriated to the apostles, but that it might be lawfully executed by the ministers of the second order.'2 Now, it is impossible to conceive a more formal or solemn investment with the power of administering this sacred ordinance, than that with which the apostle Paul clothes these Corinthian presbyters. 1 Cor. 11: 23–26. 'For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, &c. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he comes.' It is here apparent that this ordinance was to be perpetuated until the coming of Christ, and being intrusted to the administration of presbyters, presbyters must ever continue to enjoy the same power, unless it can be shown that it has been withdrawn by some special commission given to the order of prelates, which, with all our diligence, we have not yet found in the word of God.

That this power was exercised not only at Corinth, at Philippi, and in those churches where no force of construction can make out the appearance of a prelate; but, generally, also, in all the apostolic churches, is apparent, not only for the reasons already given, but also from what we read in Acts, 20: 7-11, where we are informed, that it was when the disciples were come together to break bread- as, we are to presume, they regularly did the apostle preached unto them. It is, therefore, plain, that, by the teaching of the word of God, it belongs to presbyters, as an order of the christian ministry, authoritatively to preach the gospel, and thus to call sinners to repentance; to offer up prayers in the congregations of the people, interceding on their behalf, with God most high; having instrumentally brought any to the knowledge of the truth, to receive them, and their infant seed, into the bosom of the christian church, by baptism; and also to administer to all who are fit and worthy recipients, the sacrament of the Lord's supper, for the increase and confirmation of their faith.

But they who are authorized to administer the sacraments, cannot, on prelatical principles, be two orders, but one; and 2) Potter on Ch. Govt. p. 235.

1) Corbet, on the Church, p. 38.

since presbyters, as well as bishops, are thus entitled to officiate, presbyters and prelates are, and must be, on these principles, one and the same order. Thus speaks Johnson, in his Unbloody Sacrifice.1 The eucharist is one, as offered by priests, who are one by their commission. It was upon this account that Ignatius, Cyprian, and others, represent the whole college of bishops throughout the whole world, as one person, sitting in one chair, attending one altar; and that, therefore, is the one eucharist, which is celebrated by this one priesthood.' There is, then, but one divinely commissioned order of ministers, which is that of presbyters, who must be, therefore, the only true and valid successors of the apostles. And thus much does bishop Sanderson allow, when he includes, under 'the ministerial power, which is common to bishops with their fellow-presbyters,' and which 'is confessed to be from heaven, and God,' 'the preaching of the word, and the administration of sacraments.'2

Since, then, as bishop Burnet argues, 'the sacramental actions are the highest of sacred performances, those that are empowered for them must be of the highest office in the church,' and, therefore, presbyters must be the true and only successors of the apostles.

CHAPTER VI.

PRESBYTERS ARE CLOTHED, BY DIVINE RIGHT, WITH THE POWER OF ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION.

§ 1. The power of jurisdiction explained.

A FIFTH branch of spiritual authority claimed for prelates, is that which may be denominated the power of jurisdiction, discipline, or government, including whatever is necessary to the preservation of order, and the regulation of all affairs, within that society of christians denominated a church. As the former powers already treated of, are necessary to the due organization, and spiritual edification of the church, so is this essential to its oversight, to its external prosperity, and to the removal of whatever would lead to internal disorganization and injury. This power extends to the making of any regulations touching the worship and ordinances of God, which do not interfere with the authority of Christ, as expressed in his word, or which do not go to alter their nature, or to circumscribe them within any narrower limits than those which have been assigned by their divine author. It also applies to the enforcement of the laws of the church, whether these are of divine appointment, or of ecclesiastical origin, so far as these are framed according to the suggestions above speci

Whatever, therefore, is necessary to the incorporation of a christian church; to the government of its members; to the dispensation of its ordinances; to the infliction of its censures; or to the final excommunication of its obstinate offenders; all this is to be regarded as included under the power of spiritual jurisdiction, or, as it is called by divines of the olden times, the key of discipline.